Weight loss while eating badly

gabyks

I worked in a healthcare setting for awhile, and interestingly enough, the Twinkie diet this guy followed actually isn't that far off from what we were doing. That is, we gave the patients something easily digested and very high-calorie to eat (anything they could keep down would do; it was rarely "good" for them), and met their other nutritional needs (vitamins/minerals/proteins) through shakes and supplements.

I don't doubt that Twinkie man was healthier after his 10-week regimen. However, I do feel that he and the media were misleading in saying that he was healthy on a junkfood diet, because it wasn't strictly that--the supplements were crucial.

Anyway, some people can indeed lose weight eating crap, and sustain the weight too as long as the calorie count stays within the right parameters. I was thin and healthy as a horse all of my adult life, and I ate copious quantities of "bad" food. I just didn't eat to excess, and I was active. Ironically, I gained 25 lbs on a much healthier diet, simply because I became sedentary and ate way too much.

Eating a lot of junk food now wouldn't do me much good, and I obviously don't plan to go back to the way I ate before. However, as long as I'm within the right calorie in/calorie out framework I'm not going to sweat it too much. With me, it's not so much *what* I eat as it is my habits. If I'm accustomed to eating smaller meals and few snacks, that's what I stick to, whether it's chips or salads.

DavPul

How were the Twinkie professors results completely anecdotal? Seems the opposite of that. And what studies have refuted his calories in-calories out theory? If McDonalds guy is referring to SuperSize Me, that guy was eating 1500-2500 calories above his daily requirement every day.

No doubt that in the long run it will be better to eat healthy than just eat less. But who's going to decide what healthy is? My doctor says eat whole wheat, but the gluten free people tell me that will make me sick. The Paleos tell me to each bacon cheeseburgers and the vegans say that will kill me. My nutritionist says eat chicken and rice, but the low carb people say that will kill me. You can't just tell people to "eat clean" when no one seems to agree on what that is.

I am saying that one study a proof does not make. Do not misunderstand me, I indulge a few times a week and I firmly believe that eating badly from time to time is ok, and even necessary for weight loss. What I am saying is that you cannot throw out the plethora of nutrition information because of one nutritionist and his Twinkies.

We're in absolute agreement here. None of us is a recommending Twinkies as a diet staple, and I'm right with you on how scientific studies aren't foolproof. Way too many of them seem to have results that affirm what the researchers already believed to be true. My thing is that the OP asked a question about weight loss, and many of the responses are about health. Those are two different things. Connected, but still different.

There is a question about sustainability, but for me, cutting the portion sizes is having a longer term effect. I can no longer eat the amounts I want used to eat on a regular basis. A 12 inch sub is now a meal for lunch and dinner. After switching from deep dish to thin crust pizza, I can barely finish a slice of deep dish, and when my wife prepares a plate of food for me I look at her cross eyed about how much is on the plate. I really can't revert to eating worse food, and I don't see a day where I suddenly want to start eating gigantic portions again.

DrowningMermaid

Thanks for posting this. I see so many posts complaining that people can't have this or can't have that or have sacrificed this AND that so they can stop being fat and it's necessary to a certain point, yes, but not completely. I've personally sacrificed eating a whole tube of Pringles but I still let myself have the serving of 16 crisps and if I'm still in the mood for something crunchy when I'm done, I'll slice up a cucumber.

Excess in moderation is my favorite thing ever. I let myself have Subway, McDonald's, Hardee's, I still go to a Buffet style restaurant, I just make smarter choices. If I want the burger with cheese, I won't eat the bun. If I want fries, I have a small and drink water. If I really MUST have a second plate of food, I make sure my first is a giant salad so I'm full of good-for-me before I add on the deep fried and battered, greasy goodness you find in every buffet.

Congratulations on your weight loss so far. Keep up the great work and have a beer for me because that's one thing I don't get very often.

wftiger

My biggest issue with a lot of people that are in the diet community is how they come down on people that aren't eating "clean" or whatever you want to call it. Also, how people on here even, will give someone else that's losing weight grief because they're eating processed foods, and it just isn't up to their standards. It basically comes down to one person trying to tell the other person that "I'm better than you, because I'm losing weight by eating healthy, and you're not."

It's as bad as baptists, that have no problem coming up to a complete stranger, and saying "You're going to hell, because you don't live you're life the same as me.", instead it's "You're gonna stay fat, because you're not eating the same as me.".

Basically, if you want to work something into your diet that someone else tries to tell you is bad for you, don't listen to them. If it's working for you, and you're losing weight, go with it.

So you are choosing *not* to try the Twinkie diet for more than ten weeks. Good choice.

I would do it if I could do the sodium. I think it would be much easier then having to go shopping for veggies every few days and then cook the stuff and eat it and not really enjoy it. If not for the sodium I would still be frequenting McDs on an almost daily basis.

Guess what? Health nuts die too and a lot of them at an early age. Eat as "clean" as you want but remember that everyone dies in the end whether they eat twinkies or twigs.

Rilke

My biggest issue with a lot of people that are in the diet community is how they come down on people that aren't eating "clean" or whatever you want to call it. Also, how people on here even, will give someone else that's losing weight grief because they're eating processed foods, and it just isn't up to their standards. It basically comes down to one person trying to tell the other person that "I'm better than you, because I'm losing weight by eating healthy, and you're not."

It's as bad as baptists, that have no problem coming up to a complete stranger, and saying "You're going to hell, because you don't live you're life the same as me.", instead it's "You're gonna stay fat, because you're not eating the same as me.".

Basically, if you want to work something into your diet that someone else tries to tell you is bad for you, don't listen to them. If it's working for you, and you're losing weight, go with it.

So you are choosing *not* to try the Twinkie diet for more than ten weeks. Good choice.

I would do it if I could do the sodium. I think it would be much easier then having to go shopping for veggies every few days and then cook the stuff and eat it and not really enjoy it. If not for the sodium I would still be frequenting McDs on an almost daily basis.

Guess what? Health nuts die too and a lot of them at an early age. Eat as "clean" as you want but remember that everyone dies in the end whether they eat twinkies or twigs.

Okay.

And to your final statement -- pretty sure "health nuts" don't seek immortality; they seek high quality of life even into old age. And yes, eating healthfully does increase one's chances of exactly that.

nlhill79

I lost 45 lbs in a very short period of time w/o exercising and eating ONE super sized whatever McD's meals per day.

dreena222

well said!

Bobby_Clerici

When I was fat - real fat, I reduced my calories to 6000 and lost weight.
3 or 4 lbs per week.
Today, I eat over 3000 daily.
Starvation diets are not for me.
Life is to be lived:drinker:

shorty35565

I will say that I know u can lose eating badly as long as their is a cal deficit. I used to live by the everything in moderation thing. I've read that even personal training schedule cheat meals to keep them from a plateau. I would say a cheat meal once a week is ok. But I wouldn't do a cheat day. I do wanna have abs & those are made in the kitchen.
With that said about u can lose weight while eating badly, the question is, does that make you healthy? I say no.

TeachTheGirl

I'm also within the school of 'everything in moderation'. Sure, I could be healthier. But damn it if I don't want some of the foods I've come to know and love and if I can fit them within my daily calories, I will continue to eat them.

Ahanaz

Word! Totally agree! They count calories on a weekly basis, if you do it right that is. So one day with "not so good choices" is nothing to cry about.

Bobby_Clerici

A junk food diet would be the most sustainable diet in the world.

The point of the "Twinkie diet" is that despite all the talk to the contrary, it actually does come down to calories in / calories out.

If mere weight loss is your only goal, true.
Those who desire optimal health?
No Way

wookiemouse

I totally agree with the original post. You can lose weight. Period. But there are a lot of other things you're leaving out of the picture.

If you're looking to get to a certain size, then you can get there by eating whatever you want in your caloric range. But you will not attain your ideal shape. If that's not important to you, no biggie.

If you're looking to stay healthy because of bad genetics (both my parents had heart attacks), then eating a Big Mac a day IS a big deal. Yes, I had enough calories for it for dinner tonight. But it's not going to do my arteries any favors. I chose fish instead.

If 10 minutes of artificial chemicals and fat is more important to you than a healthy immune system, clear skin and sharper mental focus, then have at those Oreos.

Clean eating isn't starvation or a sentence to bland, horrible food. If that were the case, there wouldn't be as many converts. I've been eating clean for a while and LOVE the food I eat. I had a Big Mac weekly a few years ago, couldn't imagine life without that taste. Now, you couldn't pay me to eat it. It's freaking nasty. Amazing what eating natural foods can do to your taste buds....you can actually TASTE food for the first time.

headlock_lynn

Thanks for your post. It goes to show that it's ok to go out for a meal sometimes and not "blow" it. I know that usually once a week I eat something like a hamburger, pizza, take out food or something other than "calorie counted" food. I do make sure I always eat a healthy well balanced diet and watch portion size rather than restricting myself from certain foods. I feel you have to be able to live with this new lifestyle and enjoy it otherwise you won't stick with it. Some people will feel guilty if they have a good meal one day, well don't. It's ok as long as you still work out and don't make a habit of it. Go for that steak, pizza or whatever. Once in a while won't hurt.

saraya12

Meh, I'm in the calories in, calories out camp. I eat whatever I want, just in moderation. All or nothing mode would have ended my "lifestyle change" as soon as the first junk food craving set in. I don't feel terrible, I'm losing weight, my appetite is decreasing, I look better in my clothes. Eventually I would like to get to the point where I'm eating nothing but veggies and berries, but I'd be more successful getting there gradually.

alli_baba

I eat chocolate every day. Even when I was trying to lose weight (I'm at maintenance now), I still had my daily chocolate fix. And every Saturday morning, after my workout, I go to a local bakery and buy fresh doughnuts (my husband jokingly calls it my weekly doughnut "cleanse").

But mostly, I eat healthy. In fact, when I eat too much junk, I actually crave more fruits and vegetables. And, I think that the healthier you become (through losing weight, upping your exercise) you naturally move to a healthier diet because it simply makes you feel better.

I think it's just a balancing act.

Laurenx3nyc

Unhealthy.

RickMckc

Totally agree with you ... but I wanna know why you have to slam the Baptists! :laugh:

It will be one year July 1 that I have been on my journey. I've lost 44lbs of fat and gained 11lbs of muscle. I'm so much healthier than I was a year ago in every way and I don't eat "clean." (I do workout 4x/wk, play wallyball 2x/wk, golf 1x/wk and take supplements).

My observation is that, regardless of program or strategy, consistency over the long haul is what matters most. Pick something you can do successfully and stick to it for a long, long time.

Good luck!

gypsykitchen

Yes! I've lost the same amount of weight as you, and I've also indulged in plenty of "bad" foods, but I've come out ahead because I planned those treats and compensated for them. A week and a half ago, I spent a weekend at the beach where I ate boardwalk fries and a ton of ice cream, then came home and ate super healthy and exercised every day for the next week, and lost two pounds.

My approach to this new healthy lifestyle is that I have to do it in a way that I can actually maintain which means I still have to be able to enjoy living my life, which will always include beach trips and birthdays and just ordinary days when I feel like I deserve to treat myself.

khoza

Great post! Very realistic.